The Secret is in the Flowers
by SoraAkatsukigirl
Summary: "I'm sorry I didn't say so sooner, but it's not a secret anymore."


**The Secret is in the Flowers**

Ino Yamanaka, having been raised to manage her family's flower shop between her duties as a shinobi, was enjoying her last few days off. She was on her way to her special place; a small hill on the edge of Konaha. There was light breeze blowing her long blond ponytail slightly to the side, and with the breeze came the fragrance of the flower named Acacia. This was always a good sign.

"Friendship and concealed love." She says recalling the flowers meaning all the while thinking of a certain Uchiha and smiling, her blue eyes lighting up at the thought.

Finally reaching her destination, her smile grows wider as she takes in all the wonderful scents around her. The small garden of flowers she had planted on her isolated hill were in full bloom and turning out beautifully.

Ino knelt down and began making a bouquet for (of course the great powerful all knowing son of a- er… never mind… we all know… Sorry, on with the story!) Sasuke Uchiha. It consisted of Petunias with the meaning of a soothing presence, Peach Blossoms with the meaning of "I want to be yours" and white Poppies with the meaning of simple thoughts. But as she went to stand her hand happened to brush an Acacia and her thoughts instantly turned to her brown eyed dark haired lazy teammate. Turning a light shade of pink she shook the thoughts of him from her head and started in the direction of Sasuke's house. Maybe Sasuke would get her hint?

The next morning Ino got up, greeted the day, and in a few minutes was at her apartment door ready to start the day. As she stepped outside and closed the door behind her something on her doorstep caught her eye. Bending down she picked up the withered bouquet of flowers that she had left on Sasuke's doorstep which had been so vibrant and still full of life.

"Rejection…" She whispers casting the offending thing to the side as her eyes began to sting from a few tears she was trying to hold in that slowly began to travel down her face and onto the rest of her body and her purple shinobi garments.

_That's what I get for thinking he'd ever like me… What was I thinking leaving flowers like that…? _She thought as she fled her street slowly.

The more Ino walked the more she realized how angry Sasuke had actually made her.

_It was over him that Sakura; my best friend in the whole world became my enemy… It was because of him that I spend so much time on my looks… And it's because of him that I'm crying now… ugh how pathetic. I'm crying over a stupid guy I never had a chance with and I knew it all along… _

Finally she quit walking and looked up taking in her surroundings letting her tears fall freely now. She could have laughed. She was back at her garden. Ino smiled half heartedly and sank down on her knees, all the different flowers bowing around her in the wind.

"I-Ino!" A startled voice blurted out.

Quickly Ino wiped the tears from her face and turned to see her lazy teammate. His left hand nervously rubbing the back of his neck his right, hidden behind his back. His hair was pulled up into his usual spiky ponytail, he was in his Shinobi attire and…. Was he blushing?

"Shikamaru?" Ino blinked.

"What are you doing here?" they both asked simultaneously.

"What do you mean?" Ino asked standing up "this is my garden" she says placing her right hand on her hip while gesturing to the flowers with her left. "And what's that behind your back?" She asked all thoughts of that jerk Sasuke forgotten.

"Oh… I-its nothing." Shikamaru says shaking his head taking a step back.

"Shikamaru Nara don't you dare lie to me!" She says taking a step toward him.

"What a pain…. Look Ino, it's just that it isn't finished- hey!" He yelps as she tackles him to the ground causing him to lose his grip on the bouquet of flowers he had hidden behind his back making them scatter and fall around the two as he tries to catch himself.

"What a drag…" Shikamaru sighed "I just wanted to finish it." He says stretching out on his back placing his hands behind his head as he closes his eyes. This was all just too much effort.

"Tch… Troublesome girl." He says not bothering too look at her as Ino kneels and begins collecting the fallen flowers. She, of course, was not listening being too busy with the bouquet he dropped.

"First love… And fragile passion." She whispers picking up an Azalea.

"Charmed… And beautiful…" Ino recites grabbing an orchid a little stunned as she turned to her lazy friend.

"Shikamaru…. Who are these for?"

Shikamaru responded merely by opening his eyes to look at her. After what seemed like forever he finally said "Well… they were for you. You're so impatient Ino" He says in an almost irritated voice. "But… There's a flower missing. If you would have waited you would know that." He says turning a dark shade of red as he reaches above his head to pluck an Acacia from the ground.

"Friendship and concealed love." He says getting up and handing the flower to Ino.

"I love you Ino, I always have…. Troublesome girl." Shikamaru says as Ino embraces him with a warm smile on her face.

"I'm sorry I didn't say so sooner, but it's not a secret anymore." Shikamaru says still very red.

-end-

**Disclaimer: I do NOT own Naruto…. Thank you. **

**I wont ask for reviews though that would be nice.**


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